NAGOYA — In what will go down as a monumental chapter in Indian sporting history, the women’s recurve archery team produced a masterclass under immense pressure on Friday, stunning 10-time Olympic champions South Korea 5-3 to clinch a maiden Asian Games gold medal in Nagoya.
Displaying nerves of steel amidst challenging, windy conditions, the dynamic trio of seasoned campaigner Ankita Bhakat, Kirti Sharma, and 17-year-old rising star Kumkum Mohod outshot the formidable defending champions to script an unforgettable triumph.
This victory serves as the crowning achievement of an incredible upward trajectory for the Indian women's recurve squad. Earlier in May, the team had broken a five-year drought to secure a World Cup gold in Shanghai, where they famously overcame South Korea in the semifinals. The victorious Nagoya lineup largely mirrored the Shanghai squad, with Kirti stepping in smoothly for former world number one Deepika Kumari, who missed selection following tight trials.
The championship showdown began as a tactical chess match. Both teams traded blows in the opening two sets, ending level at 54 and 56 points respectively, as neither side managed to carve out an early advantage.
The turning point arrived in the third set when the formidable South Korean trio—featuring Tokyo Olympics gold-medallist Kang Chaeyoung alongside Oh Yejin and Lee Yunji—buckled under the escalating pressure. Dropping three consecutive 8s, Korea finished with a modest 52 points. India capitalised immediately, scoring a composed 55 to capture the set and surge ahead 4-2.
Refusing to back down, the Koreans fought back with 54 points in the fourth set. Kirti opened India's final sequence with an 8, which was later upgraded to a 9 following a crucial video review, bringing India’s total to 54. Though the set scores were tied, the shared points were more than enough to cement a landmark victory for the Indian trio.
En route to the summit clash, India had already signaled their championship credentials by dismantling China 5-1 in a dominant semifinal performance.
This historic triumph marks India’s fourth archery gold medal at the ongoing Games, adding to earlier titles claimed by the men's compound, women's compound, and mixed compound teams. It also marks a phenomenal upgrade from the bronze medal won by the Indian women's recurve team at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, signaling that Indian archery has truly arrived on top of the continental summit.
